tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38969659561238983692018-04-27T05:08:38.997-07:00Old Fat & SlowOld Fat and Slowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407920445616132091noreply@blogger.comBlogger123125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3896965956123898369.post-40313921367057263682018-02-23T11:58:00.000-08:002018-02-23T11:58:29.862-08:00A new direction for OFSBack in May, we packed up the truck and moved to Sequim WA, on the North Olympic Peninsula.&nbsp; Since we are native north-westerners, it's great to be back home.&nbsp; There were 2 objectives in this move, half the house and twice the sailboat.&nbsp; In June, we moved into the slightly smaller house, and in December, we bought a bit more than twice the sailboat. The old one, which we still have is a 13.5 ft Enterprise sloop.&nbsp; My dad bought it in about 1966 and sold it to me in 1972. It is a mahogany plywood boat that I will probably never sell.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qP1_F86LNzM/WpBwf-1yG0I/AAAAAAAADNI/VAykYK0qeNsiayT6-g4ptQcg3jNAEiZbgCLcBGAs/s1600/PA160034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qP1_F86LNzM/WpBwf-1yG0I/AAAAAAAADNI/VAykYK0qeNsiayT6-g4ptQcg3jNAEiZbgCLcBGAs/s320/PA160034.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our new boat is a 1978 Cape Dory 28 sloop, a very capable boat, perfect for the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Puget Sound and the waters of the Salish Sea.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OlKDmGXXFZ0/WpBx_jZonVI/AAAAAAAADNU/j0VwhvID5VMc1i8C9FPFD7fVDmhVnob0ACLcBGAs/s1600/CD%2B28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OlKDmGXXFZ0/WpBx_jZonVI/AAAAAAAADNU/j0VwhvID5VMc1i8C9FPFD7fVDmhVnob0ACLcBGAs/s320/CD%2B28.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We've sailed her a few times so far this winter and are looking forward to the spring when things warm up a bit.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>Old Fat and Slowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407920445616132091noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3896965956123898369.post-78735007705270194922016-01-25T07:05:00.001-08:002016-01-25T07:05:50.085-08:00Desert AccupunctureActually, it is kind of inaccupuncture, since there really isn't any attempt to poke at particular neurological points in the body. &nbsp;It's actually sort of random and all encompassing. &nbsp;The most effective method is to fall over on top of a Cholla. &nbsp;You can choose either the teddy bear or the staghorn, depending on your preference.<br />My option this time was the staghorn. &nbsp;This is a fine example, not the one I chose.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WA3BnzgCwNA/VqY2-qNjkHI/AAAAAAAABNc/EQPDjYfUKt4/s1600/20160123_143142_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WA3BnzgCwNA/VqY2-qNjkHI/AAAAAAAABNc/EQPDjYfUKt4/s640/20160123_143142_resized.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />To give you a better idea, here's a section of a staghorn.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.delange.org/StaghornCholla/Dsc00031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.delange.org/StaghornCholla/Dsc00031.jpg" /></a></div>When you land on top of one of these, your next hour or two will be occupied with removing the needles.<br /><br />I heard a suggestion on how to remove the smaller spines that you can't quite get with a pair of pliers that you of course have in your toolkit. &nbsp;Spread wood glue over the area (something non-toxic like Elmer's), let it dry, then peel it off, &nbsp;You'll also probably lose all the hair under the glue also.<br /><br />Let's be clear about riding in the desert. &nbsp;Everything out there wants you dead. &nbsp;That includes rattlesnakes, gila monsters, spiders, scorpions, the weather, cacti, trees, bushes, you name it. Humans are intruders and nature doesn't like you in the desert.Old Fat and Slowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407920445616132091noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3896965956123898369.post-21937597906002175312015-10-31T16:44:00.002-07:002015-10-31T16:44:57.246-07:00Dog PoopIf you aren't familiar with the trails in the Phoenix area, you may not know what this is.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LrXS3Fsgug0/VjVN11nOLnI/AAAAAAAABNM/1AYA65kZBE4/s1600/dog%2Bpoop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LrXS3Fsgug0/VjVN11nOLnI/AAAAAAAABNM/1AYA65kZBE4/s320/dog%2Bpoop.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Believe it or not, it's a bag of dog poop. That's the sort of thing you leave on someone's front porch, set on fire, ring the doorbell and run like hell.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">While riding trails in Phoenix and surrounding area, it is fairly common to find these bags on the side of trails. &nbsp;They are usually green, but occasionally black, like this one. &nbsp;Here's the deal. &nbsp;The law here requires that trail users who bring their pets are required to remove the their pet's droppings. &nbsp;The parks, HOA's and cities place pedestals at trail heads with free bags and a bin to dispose of the bags once they are used, along with instructions for use and disposal.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Occasionally, you will see a dog walker with an empty bag hanging out of one of his or her pockets. I doubt I have ever seen a dog walker with a bag of dog poop on the way back to the trail head. &nbsp;More frequently the bags are left on the side of the trail. &nbsp;The bags are biodegradable, but something tells me they actually slow the dog poop degradation process itself. &nbsp;I often wonder what goes through the mind of the dog walker who leaves the bag on the trail;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">"I'll pick it up on the way back."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">"Ooh, that's gross! &nbsp;I don't want to touch it!"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">"Somebody else will pick it up. That's why I pay taxes."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">"I'll send my Valet to pick it up later."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">"It's not my dog."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Just one statement for the dog walkers out there, Pick up your dog's crap. You're the one who fed it!</div><br />Old Fat and Slowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407920445616132091noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3896965956123898369.post-37338615986812060202015-09-13T18:51:00.001-07:002015-09-13T18:51:43.446-07:00New BikeI'm down $225 after last week. &nbsp;My boss decided he didn't like his road bike and wanted to unload it. He put it on craigslist, asking $270. &nbsp;I have been riding a Fuji Finest from the dark ages, 1998, that I swear was formed out of plumbing pipe. &nbsp;The venerable old bike weighed in at almost 24 pounds, about 1 pound less than my ancient Klein mountain bike. &nbsp;Since it seemed like a good price, I expressed some interest. &nbsp;He brought it to the office and I took it home for the weekend. &nbsp;His parting words were, "I was thinking I would go as low as $225."<br /><br />Once I got home, I tried riding it. &nbsp;Wouldn't shift to the large chain ring, Rear derailleur pretty screwed up, but overall in pretty good shape. &nbsp;I spent a couple hours cleaning and tuning, then took it out for a 20 mile ride one morning. &nbsp;It's now a reasonable road bike, although not new by any means.<br /><br />To give you an idea of its age, it has a square taper bottom bracket. &nbsp;Makes it at least 10 years old, but still newer than my Fuji. &nbsp;It is an aluminum frame and the total weight is probably 21 pounds. &nbsp;I could have spent more for a lighter bike, or I could eat less and cut more weight than the 21 it weighs.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-02lv-o1RHOM/VfYn3Bek-II/AAAAAAAABM8/gviR6XO8njY/s1600/motobecane.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-02lv-o1RHOM/VfYn3Bek-II/AAAAAAAABM8/gviR6XO8njY/s320/motobecane.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Road riding is really just a good way to improve mountain biking.Old Fat and Slowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407920445616132091noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3896965956123898369.post-16574034342488677252015-08-15T16:31:00.002-07:002015-08-15T16:32:04.022-07:00Hot Hot HotYesterday 117F low 93.<br />This morning 93. &nbsp;I got out to ride at 7:00, well after sunrise. &nbsp;Temp 96, 102 by the time I finished at 8:30. &nbsp;Damn.Old Fat and Slowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407920445616132091noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3896965956123898369.post-34469352761826331982015-08-13T09:22:00.002-07:002015-08-13T09:22:55.925-07:00Tandem BikeLast weekend we visited Prescott AZ for our 41st anniversary. Had a great time except for one thing.<br />The motel we stayed at The Motor Lodge ( I highly recommend it) had bikes that visitors could use. Judy has long held the idea that a tandem bike would be pretty cool, so we borrowed one to go to breakfast at a cafe called "The Local" (again, I highly recommend it). <br /><br />Now, I've been riding bikes since I was about 4 years old, and I am comfortable on mountain and road bikes, spent years commuting by bike, and have been avidly mountain biking for over 20 years. Nothing prepared me for the balancing issues of 60 lbs of bike, and about 350 lbs (mostly me) of human. Couple that with a slightly kinked front rim and two very different types of riders and it made for more excitement than I would have chosen.<br /><br />We made it to the cafe in one piece, had a nice breakfast, then headed back toward the motel. &nbsp;about a block from the cafe there is a downward sloping right curve that we started coasting down just as a dump truck entered the curve going the same way. &nbsp;No we didn't crash, but rounding that curve, wobbling all over and afraid to hit the brake with that kinked rim, was a life passing before my eyes moment. &nbsp;Until the truck finished going by I was muttering, "F&amp;$% F&amp;$% F&amp;$% F&amp;$% F&amp;$%!!" Muttering might not be the most descriptive verb I could use, but I'll just go with it. &nbsp;With Judy behind me on the bike and the noise of the truck, I don't thing she heard any of it, although I did explain later.<br /><br />As far as I'm concerned, that was the last time I ever get on a tandem for any reason, Period.Old Fat and Slowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407920445616132091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3896965956123898369.post-78449914895852090032015-07-03T16:56:00.000-07:002015-07-03T16:56:30.500-07:00It's been a while since my last post, mainly because its been the same-old same-old. There have been some new trails opened up in the Sonoran Preserve and a trailhead/parking lot at Apache Wash on Dove Valley Rd. &nbsp;The trails are really nice and worth a ride.<br /><br />Anyway, the Old Klein Pulse Race, now 18 years old has started having some trouble, phantom shifts, skipping chain, that sort of thing. &nbsp;I was on the verge of using it as an excuse to get a new bike, but being the cheapskate that I am, I opted for parts. &nbsp;First, I replaced the chain, hoping that would fix the skipping. It actually made it worse. &nbsp;I swapped that out with an old use chain that was better than the old one I had been using. &nbsp;That made the skipping a little better, but still not good. &nbsp;Out of my old crap box, I found a SRAM 8 speed cassette that I used once and didn't like because of the gear spacing, 11x34 with huge jumps between 1, 2, and 3. &nbsp;It cured the skipping, so that meant the old cassette was worn on the three largest gears where all the skipping happened. &nbsp;On to Amazon where I ordered a new 8 speed cassette with the largest was a 30. &nbsp;Since I hadn't solved the phantom shift, which was dropping off the middle to the small chainring too often to keep me happy, I also ordered two chainrings 22 and 32. &nbsp;THe big chainring hasn't caused any problems, so it stays on the bike.<br /><br />The chainrings arrived in 2 days and I swapped them out in a twenty minute frenzy. &nbsp;Presto! No more phantom shifts. &nbsp;The cassette arrived a few days later and now all the problems are solved and my new bike is still just a dream.<br /><br />Speaking of new, I replaced the suspension fork about a year ago with a sort of cheap Rock Shok. &nbsp;Its heavier than the old Judy XC, which only lasted 17 years, but works ok. &nbsp;In the world of strong, light and cheap, pick two, I opt for strong and cheap. &nbsp;If I want to go faster, I'll need to work on the light with diet and exercise rather than dollars.<br /><br />I got to thinking about what is still original on my ancient bike, so here it is:<br />Frame<br />Stem<br />Brakes (V brakes, of course the pads have been replaced several times)<br />Brake levers<br />Front and rear derailleurs<br />Seat post<br /><br />It used to be, when I started riding in Phoenix that people would say, "You need a new bike." that was 8 years ago. &nbsp;Now I hear, "Wow, that's a classic!" Crazy Joe gave me the perfect response, "No, it's just old. &nbsp;I'm the classic."<br /><br />Old Fat and Slowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407920445616132091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3896965956123898369.post-76040035450579310872013-04-07T09:51:00.001-07:002013-04-07T09:51:24.583-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Earbuds</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QXeUB5nk_Ik/UWGgzajzcsI/AAAAAAAABLc/8wm1Wrc99iQ/s1600/earbuds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="343" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QXeUB5nk_Ik/UWGgzajzcsI/AAAAAAAABLc/8wm1Wrc99iQ/s400/earbuds.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Recognize these things? &nbsp;They are everywhere. &nbsp;I was out on a road ride this morning, cutting through a park with a path that was at least 10 ft wide. &nbsp;As I came up behind a young woman walking her dog, I slowed down, called out "On your left," and attempted to go around on her left side. &nbsp;I was doing maybe 4 mph. &nbsp;As I closed the gap between us, she and her dog both veered to the left, causing me to swing over to the dirt to avoid them. &nbsp;She obviously didn't hear me when I called out. &nbsp;When she did see me, she apologized. &nbsp;No harm, no foul.<br /><br />This same kind of thing happens on trail rides almost every time I ride. &nbsp;I'm old, fat and slow, so I have never had or caused an accident. &nbsp;It just amazes me that so many people can't just go out and enjoy nature without the constant noise (music, ebooks, podcasts) in their ears.<br /><br />Good God people. &nbsp;Leave the damn things at home. &nbsp;Listen to the songbirds, greet people as they pass. &nbsp;Pay attention to what's going on around you.<br /><br />Rant over.Old Fat and Slowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407920445616132091noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3896965956123898369.post-11272196083671140132012-02-06T13:33:00.000-08:002012-02-06T13:57:16.756-08:0024 hours in the Old PuebloNo, I'm not planning to ride a 24 hour race.<div><br /></div><div>On Saturday afternoon, I and a couple of my riding buddies went to the course where the 24 hour race is held and rode it to see what its like. The course is a really enjoyable 16.3 mile which is mostly beautiful single track with a few areas of old jeep roads thrown in. Since we got confused a couple of times, we ended up riding 17 miles. It took us 2 hours to complete a lap, a truly un-competitive time.</div><div><br /></div><div>Before we started, we talked a bit with a guy who is probably 75-80 years old. He had just finished a lap on a single speed in 1:25. His tale, if true, solidified my resolve not to enter the race.</div><div><br /></div><div>The drive from Phoenix actually takes you south of the track quite a way, then north on a gravel/dirt road to the course area, about 2.5 hours from Phoenix. It seems like a round about way to get there, but that's what the directions say.</div><div><br /></div><div>When we finished up and were ready to head back to Phoenix, a guy we know said his GPS said there was a short cut back to Hwy 79 that would cut a good 25 miles off the return trip. I had mapped directions on Google Earth the day before and it showed a route across the valley, but when I zoomed in and followed the directions given, there were areas where the line across didn't appear to actually follow a road. Anyway, it was the weekend, so what the hell. We followed the guy west for about 30 minutes while the road became a jeep trail, then a set of tire tracks, then a barbed wire fence with nothing but mesquite, prickly pear, and no gate. By the time we got back to the race course, it was already dark, but no problem backtracking.</div><div><br /></div><div>In all, we spent almost 6 hours travelling to get in a 2 hour bike ride. It was a nice way to delay the chores I would have done at home.</div>Old Fat and Slowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407920445616132091noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3896965956123898369.post-18296670332850358242012-01-27T10:37:00.000-08:002012-01-27T11:37:22.374-08:00Wheels<span>Back in October, I bought a <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 16px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Vuelta Zerolite wheelset and put them on my Klein hardtail (still my only mtn bike). I had some reservations because the hubs looked kind of cheap, the 24 spoke seemed a bit odd, and mounting the tires on the rims was easier than any I have ever done. After a few rides, I figured they'll probably be ok.</span></span><div><span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 16px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 16px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">A few weeks ago, I was descending a long, fairly steep trail at Deem hills and flatted without hitting anything. When I pulled the tube, I found that the tube had separated right at the stem. I tried cutting a hole in a patch and sliding it over the stem in holes that it would seal up and hold everything in place. I held everything except air in place. Since I didn't have a spare tube, I shouldered the bike and walked back to the truck, about a 2 mile hike.</span></span></div><div><span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 16px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 16px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Back home, I blamed the problem on a faulty tube and replaced it. All seemed ok until last weekend. While descending the same hill I flatted on previously, I experienced the same thing. The new tube separated right at the stem. This time I had a spare and was able to continue the ride. Back home, I started puzzling this one and decided that the tube and tire must have been slipping around the rim. Never had evidence of that problem before in aout 55 years of cycling, so in typical troubleshooting procedure, I settled in on blaming the only thing I had changed before the problem started - the rims, which may have been slightly smaller in diameter than normal (I'll have to measure them and see if that's true), or maybe the painted aluminum surface was too slippery. Either way, the result sucked and I didn't want to fight it.</span></span></div><div><span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 16px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 16px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">On Monday morning I ordered two new wheels from BlueSkyCycling.com. If you haven't figured it out yet, Old Fat &amp; Slow is a cheapskate. My bike is 15 years old and still in service. In its life, I replaced the rims once, and the hubs were still the originals, until I bought the Vueltes. One great thing about classic bikes (read: old and obsolete) is the availability of obsolete parts that no one else wants. BlueSkyCycling.com had the perfect wheels at really good prices. So ordered a front wheel with Mavic 221 rim and Shimano LX hub, and a rear wheel with a Mavic 117 rim and Shimano XT hub. The cool part is, I ordered on Monday and received shipment on Thursday. I also ordered a Butt Holder (saddle) by WTB.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6qTPLNPAGQw/TyL4PjRQLII/AAAAAAAABJQ/WGPbC9FvEB8/s1600/front%2Bwheel.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6qTPLNPAGQw/TyL4PjRQLII/AAAAAAAABJQ/WGPbC9FvEB8/s400/front%2Bwheel.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702393024253799554" /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jefAVeaqLgw/TyL4PkY6SJI/AAAAAAAABJY/MFZSxuFADqI/s400/rear%2Bwheel.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702393024554354834" /></a><br /><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 16px; font-family: 'times new roman'; " >Yesterday I took off work a little to put it all together and get out for a ride with the buddies. The only thing I found wrong was the rear wheel was out of true by about 1 mm. That took a few tweaks with a spoke wrench and I was good to go.</span><br /><div><span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 16px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 16px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">On the trail, it was like riding a different bike. Over the years, my old wheelset must have gotten somewhat flexible. The </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span><span style="line-height: 16px;">Vuelta Zerolite wheelset didn't seem much different than the old wheels because they must be pretty flexible with only 24 spokes. The new wheels are much stiffer and the ride is dramatically different. The one thing that actually took some getting used to was the difference in steering. The stiffness of the wheels made steering response much tighter, with the result that I started out cutting to the inside of some twists and turns in the trail, and almost bounced off a large boulder that would have left a mark. After a few minutes, I was re-calibrated and it was all good. </span></span></span></span></div><div><span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span><span style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span><span style="line-height: 16px;">The new butt holder, a WTB Pure V Race FR (don't know what that all means) was similar to my old one, but just enough different that its going to take some getting used to. It will probably be ok and just needs some breaking in. May be a few rides before I'm willing to spend more than a couple hours with my fat butt being held by that one.</span></span></span></span></div><div><span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span><span style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span><span style="line-height: 16px;">The moral of this story is, don't buy the cheapest stuff you can get. Shop around a bit and find better components that can still be a bargain. And, take a look at BlueSkyCycling.com since they seem like a good business.</span></span></span></span></div>Old Fat and Slowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407920445616132091noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3896965956123898369.post-20857882567122178362011-12-23T16:36:00.000-08:002011-12-23T17:10:00.434-08:00Sonoran Preserve Trails<div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div>Sonoran Preserve is located east of I-17 at the Jomax exit. It is a nice set of trails. If you are from somewhere other than Phoenix, I-17 heads north out of central Phoenix and goes to Flagstaff. Jomax is one of the last exits before you rise out of the Sonoran Desert. The trails were built in 2010, but since there are many other places to ride, I hadn't been there until today. I would have to say, they are probably the smoothest trails in the general area. Immediately upon leaving the parking lot, you encounter a climb that get the heart rate up higher than a geezer like me would appreciate. I'm one of those folks who like to gradually get the heart, lungs and legs in sync gradually, but darn near every trail in the area starts with an uphill that prevents easy synchronization. By the way, I forgot to turn on the GPS until I was a few hundred feet up the trail. After the big climb, the smooth trail surface made for some fast downhills. The full suspension folks probably don't notice that much difference, but as an old fat guy on an aluminum hardtail, I found nirvana.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5689494480830956562" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1NcK0FG5M0s/TvUlFgl5hBI/AAAAAAAABJA/lVuFuPvkXx8/s400/Sonoran%2BPreserve%2B12-23-11.jpg" /><br />The route I took today went from the southwest corner of the picture, up to the northeast to the second intersection, then around counter clockwise, then back down the entrance spur to the other intersection and around to meet the first loop, then back down to the parking lot. Good ride that took about an hour and a half. Definitely a do again.</div><br /><div><br /></div><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5689494067032754658" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k34WGTW7DQc/TvUktbEuCeI/AAAAAAAABI0/62nlySbr6_A/s400/Sonoran%2BPreserve%2Bmap%2B12-23-11.jpg" /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div>Old Fat and Slowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407920445616132091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3896965956123898369.post-23211045719327509142011-11-25T09:08:00.000-08:002011-11-25T10:25:54.798-08:00Advertising RantI'm sure you've seen the recent TV ads for Viagra (I'm not a user, by the way) unless you have been living under a rock for the past couple of years. The theme appears to be, you're older now and know how to get things done. Their depiction of older guy wisdom is about as lame as it can get. Consider the three ads I've seen so far.<br /><br />In the first ad, a guy is driving through the desert in his '67 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Camaro</span>. It overheats, so he pulls into an ancient roadside gas station and comes out with a bottle of water, which he pours into his <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">overheateed</span> radiator. In a moment he continues his journey and arrives at an invitingly lit up house where, I guess, he gets laid.<br /><br />In the second ad, a cowboy in his pickup with a horse trailer gets stuck in the mud. He steps out of the cab, hitches up his team and pulls the truck and trailer out of the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">mudhole</span>. The final scene shows him pulling up to an invitingly lit up farmhouse where, I assume, he gets laid.<br /><br />In the third ad, a guy is sailing along with his sails improperly set, in a light breeze. Judging from the wave action, the wind isn't more than 5 knots. Suddenly, a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">midboom</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">mainsheet</span> clevis breaks and his boom swings away. Leaping into action, he points to windward and disables a life vest by removing the waist strap. He feeds the strap through the block, wraps it around the boom, and replaces the clevis. He then sails away and returns to the dock, apparently to get laid.<br /><br />These guys are supposedly at an age where they know how to get things done. Problem is, none of them seem to have a clue. Let's take these problems one at a time.<br /><br />Guys with classic <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">Camaros</span> should have some basic concept about maintenance and emergency repair. They know not to head out into the desert without having checked a few things like oil and coolant levels, condition of hoses, belts, etc. Guys with classic <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">Camaros</span> also know that when the beast overheats, they don't grab a bottle of cold water and dump it into a hot radiator. They also know that a liter of water ain't gonna fix the trouble. Maybe he dumped his little blue pills in the radiator and the cooling system hardened up. If so, he must have made it home in less than four hours.<br /><br />The cowboy might know how to ride horses, but he sure doesn't know how to drive the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">backroads</span>, of which we are led to believe he is most familiar. Having spent several years as a microwave radio technician, I am a bit familiar with driving in less than ideal conditions. If the cowboy knew a damned thing about <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">backroad</span> driving he would have either gone around the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">mudhole</span> or maintained enough speed to allow his momentum to carry him through the mud without spinning his wheels. That's something that might also improve his performance in bed.<br /><br />The sailor, ah yes. This guy should be drummed out of the Horatio Hornblower fan club. First problem. That clevis had to be at least 1/4 inch stainless steel with a rating in excess of a ton. If that sucker snapped in such a light breeze, he allowed it to wear out, never looking at it during the life of the boat, or the ten other boats it outlived. Those things don't wear out fast. How many other parts are in similar condition? Did Mrs. Hornblower sabotage his yacht? I'd be uneasy about sailing that boat in dead calm. Next problem, he disables an essential, and required, piece of safety equipment instead of grabbing one of the many chunks of line that are always readily at hand. What the hell?!! If the clevis pin can't hold, what makes him think that a 1 inch nylon strap is the right answer? Of course, being a TV ad, he successfully completes the repair with a spare clevis and, next problem, continues on with his sails improperly set. As he's walking the dock in the final scene, one has to wonder, is that sail bag his V<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">iagra</span> dosage? Maybe he can loan some to the guy with the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">Camaro</span>.<br /><br />You have to admit these are true guys. They don't properly prepare for what they intend to do, then, when they face a self inflicted woe, they come up with a lame solution. These guys are the ultimate teenagers. Dumb mistakes, followed by dumb fixes. All in hopes of getting laid.Old Fat and Slowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407920445616132091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3896965956123898369.post-39152483259425797322011-10-21T11:00:00.000-07:002011-10-21T11:46:20.707-07:00New Wheels<div>The new wheels arrived yesterday, so in the evening I put them on the old Klein. </div><br /><div>They are Vuelta Zerolite wheels from Nashbar and generally look ok. The hubs look kind of cheap, so it will be interesting to see how well they do in the dusty desert environment. The other oddity is the 24 spoke configuration. Seems to me the more spokes the better, given that I am not what one would consider as svelte. Tomorrow morning will be the first test. If they make it through the morning, maybe they'll be ok.</div><br /><div></div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5666007966374829986" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XClRuTy4nAk/TqG0OcJOH6I/AAAAAAAABHM/xypBL4OXW-g/s400/YW-VLZL-W-PAIR.jpg" /><br /><br /><div></div>Old Fat and Slowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407920445616132091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3896965956123898369.post-83839504774884584282011-10-16T17:21:00.000-07:002011-10-16T17:35:41.421-07:00New trails in N Phoenix<div>Yesterday morning about 9, the temps were in the 80s, so I took of on my mtn bike for a little exploring. I hadn't been on the bike for about 3 weeks and needed the exercise. I left the house and followed the CAP canal east to Deem Hills. I haven't been over there since over a year ago when I found a few new trails. Since then, they seem to have added a pretty good network. The temps were getting up there by the time I had ridden anly about 1.5 miles of trail, so I turned around and headed back to the barn. Next time, with cooler temps coming I will spend a bit more time and take along my GPS.</div><br /><div></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5664251781467562962" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0THE5HTqDgw/Tpt2_Bi_Y9I/AAAAAAAABHA/97dTb3jsB0k/s400/10-15-11%2BRide.jpg" /><br />I did a little maintenance on the old Klein today. After cleaning the bike off I noticed a little grinding in the front hub. When I get it apart and cleaned up, I could see some excessive wear in the bearing races. Hit the Nashbar page looking for a new set of hubs since these are apparently on thier last legs after 14 years and many 110s of miles of dirt. They had a wheel set regularly $199 for $79. The blessing of an old bike with rim brakes is that parts can be really cheap. We' see how it goes when the new wheels arrive...<br /><br /><div></div>Old Fat and Slowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407920445616132091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3896965956123898369.post-15844952209421286632011-10-08T16:37:00.000-07:002011-10-08T16:55:15.338-07:00Port AngelesWe visited Port Angeles last week for a few days and had a chance to ride part of the Discovery Trail west of town. Having ridden for the last 4 years in Phoenix, It was a real pleasure to ride something different. With the temp around 50 and rain threatening, we headed out, Sean on his Salsa El Mariachi and me on Michele's <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Jamis</span> Dakar. The El M is a 29er 1x9, all rigid and the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Jamis</span> is a full suspension 3x9 26er. The ride consisted of an out and back, climbing about 600 ft over 3 miles. Our stopping point was in a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">clear cut</span> overlooking the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Elwha</span> River Valley.<br /><br /><br /><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 226px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661271358875898482" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uhJ8N-NHrko/TpDgTmLkEnI/AAAAAAAABG4/OJ_QCwP0KZg/s400/Elwha%2BValley.jpg" />The climb was relatively easy, with a pretty smooth trail surface. It was one of those climbs that could go a long time without real suffering. The ride back down was joyful, smooth, fast and fun for a geezer like me. As usual, Sean bombed down while I maintained a bit of caution. It reminded me of our days in Spokane when Sean would tear ass down a steep rocky descent, while I would stop, figure out the line, then descend without much drama. Meeting at the bottom, Sean would wax eloquently about almost crashing on that rock, bouncing off this tree, etc. while I didn't have any good tails to tell. The age difference is still there.</p><br /><p>Anyway, its alway great getting out on the trails with Sean. Maybe next time we hit that trail, we'll take it all the way to Crescent Lake. It will be an all day ride that should be awesome.<br /><br /></p>Old Fat and Slowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407920445616132091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3896965956123898369.post-12736959085906537722011-09-28T13:00:00.000-07:002011-09-28T13:08:44.713-07:00Email offersI got an email the other day complimenting me on my blog, which seemed very nice. Then a read down a few lines telling me that I should add a link to some job search site. I could then make money buy getting readers to click on the link.<br /><br />With an average of 3.2 visitors per day, I'm sure the clicks would really add up fast. No doubt I could quit my day job and spend my time biking, sailing and blogging in the lap of luxury. I might even have time to write a book, "How to Live Gracefully on .0002 Cents Per Day."Old Fat and Slowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407920445616132091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3896965956123898369.post-85990050459603661172011-08-31T08:24:00.001-07:002011-08-31T08:27:03.976-07:00GeoManGear RecallI picked up the mail yesterday, and golly gee, there was my replacement battery from the GeoManGear recall! Mid-April to Late-August, not very quick, but they were true to their word. Will shop their site in the future.
<br />Old Fat and Slowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407920445616132091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3896965956123898369.post-17781853540719303362011-08-26T12:41:00.000-07:002011-08-26T13:15:14.961-07:00In Defense of GeoManGearLike everyone who received and responded to GeoManGear's Magicshine battery recall, I have been increasingly skeptical about ever seeing a replacement battery (I'm not over that yet). I filled out the online form, recycled my battery at the local Home Depot and sent in the form. Since I expected the recal to take a while, I ordered a new light set just like the original one.<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sjVu5BwlFDY/Tlf4WBqZIPI/AAAAAAAABGo/0HuFihcNawQ/s1600/Bicycle%2BLight%2BBox.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 363px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645253715219259634" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sjVu5BwlFDY/Tlf4WBqZIPI/AAAAAAAABGo/0HuFihcNawQ/s400/Bicycle%2BLight%2BBox.jpg" /></a>The new light set arrived in a few days and I was off and riding. After about 2 months, the battery failed on the new light set. It would not take a charge, nor would it power the light. I worked up a 7.4 volt source and attached it to the light head and it worked ok. When I plugged the battery into the charger and energized the charger, the charge light was green, indicating that the battery was fully charged. With the charger plugged in to AC, and no load from the battery, the light is green, which indicated to me that there was an open in the battery circuit.
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<br />Not having seen or heard anything from GeoManGear regarding the recall, I was reluctant to send off the new set for warranty repair, fearing that I would never see the light again.
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<br />Since its so damn hot in Phoenix in the daylight, I was pretty well finished riding for the summer, since before dawn is the only relatively cool time of day, and its too dark to ride without a light. I finally decided to take a chance and send the set back for warranty.
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<br />I filled out the contact form on GeoManGear's website last Friday and received an RMA number shortly after. On Saturday, I boxed up the set and express mailed it to a PO box in Oro Valley, AZ. On Monday, I received an email indicating that the package was received and the lightset repaired and shipped. Tuesday evening, the repaired set was in my mailbox. Same Magicshine box, same light, new battery. I could tell it was the same light because in SOS mode it still codes dot dot dot dash dash dash dash dot dot dot, which isn't actually SOS, given that O in Morse Code is only 3 dashes.
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<br />GeoManGear restored much of my faith in them in making the repair trun around so quickly. I have never seen a warranty repair come back as fast as that. Kudos.
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<br />On the recall, I received an email this week that gave a timeline for the recall, and I do hope GeoManGear lives up to that letter.
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<br />In the meantime, I have them back on my list of folks I am willing to buy stuff from.
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<br />Old Fat and Slowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407920445616132091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3896965956123898369.post-69767946524433390082011-07-26T20:04:00.000-07:002011-07-26T20:16:00.383-07:00A Cautionary TaleThe battery pack died on my bike light and I was left in the dark, so I decided to go the cheap route. I went to Batteries Plus and bought 4 AA size Lithium batteries. Each cell was 3.6 volts. I strung them together in series parallel to make a 7.2 volt battery pack. Then I grabbed the charger from my light set and chared the batteries for a couple of hours. The next morning, I hooked up the makeshift light set and went for a road ride. Everyghing seemed to work fine.<br /><br />Yesterday evening, I put the batteries on the charger in anticipation of a morning ride. Set the whole thing on the garage floorand went into the house to read. About an hour later, I heard a very loud gunshot out in front of the house. I ran to the window, but didn't see anybody. I went outside and opened the garage door. The garage was filled with smoke. The battery pack was in pieces.<br /><br />Sometimes creativity is rewarding, sometimes, not so much.Old Fat and Slowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407920445616132091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3896965956123898369.post-31279911289744892492011-05-06T11:51:00.000-07:002011-05-06T12:17:54.883-07:00Lasik revisitedIt has now been about 4 months since I had my eyeballs zapped and things are pretty good. In reality, I traded nearsightedness for farsightedness. I have great distance vision, beyond about 3 feet, but I need reading glasses for anything close.<br /><br />I used to be able to read the smallest writing imaginable by taking off my glasses and sticking the writing about 2 inches from my eyes. Now I need reading glasses and sometimes a magnifying glass to read anything close or small.<br /><br />Tradeoffs?<br /><br />Reading glasses are a heck of a lot cheaper than prescription bifocals. I now have about a dozen pairs of reading glasses at a total cost of about 50 bucks. A couple pairs of sunglasses at 20 bucks each. Prescription glasses were over $400 a pair. Prescription sunglasses were even more.<br /><br />I am still having to modify my behavior. Since early childhood, if I couldn't focus on something I pulled it closer. Now I have to do the opposite, and the retraining is going slowly. Old dog, new tricks.<br /><br />I read somewhere that very nearsighted people don't have the level of depth perception that 20/20 people have. Not sure I bought that idea, but I do now. Mountain biking made me a believer. The first times jumping up a step and descending a steep trail was vastly different. Step-ups looked higher than they did before and descents looked steeper. My timing was way off as obstacles approached at a different rate than they seemed to before. It took a few rides to get used to it, not quite as hard as learning to trail ride, but still unsettling. Its all good now.<br /><br />Would I do it again? Yes. Even with the need for reading glasses and the loss of being able to read the itty bitty writing on the edge of my watch face, I'd do it again. Besides, I already know the watch was made in Japan.Old Fat and Slowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407920445616132091noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3896965956123898369.post-16064464712549930012011-04-23T17:47:00.001-07:002011-04-23T17:58:56.163-07:00My Mercedes DidTo begin, I don't own a Mercedes, never have, probably never will. Its just time for a rant, which I don't often do.<br /><br />If you watch TV, you've probably seen the ad with three people relating tales of negligent driving who didn't realize something, but "Thankfully my Mercedes did." This ad is dumber than the ads of people driving like idiots on city streets, Lexus, Infinity, Volvo, you know who you are.<br /><br />This ad basically says that its <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">ok</span> to drive tired, distracted, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">texting</span>, or <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">whatever</span> else you might do instead of actually driving while behind the wheel. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">C'mon</span> advertisers, there is no substitute for attentive driving. If a drivers actually trust systems that stop the car, warn of lane drifting, etc. they ought not be on the road, or they need a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">chauffeur</span>.<br /><br />We're coming up to the time when an ad shows some drunk explaining how his blood alcohol level was 2.5% and he drove home and didn't kill anyone, but his Mercedes did.Old Fat and Slowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407920445616132091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3896965956123898369.post-52461371212747233722011-01-23T13:05:00.001-08:002011-01-23T13:32:11.746-08:00LasikAs of 2011, my health insurance fully covers the cost of vision correction surgery. Its something I have been considering for a long time, but the cost made a cheapskate like me put it off, and off, and off. Since cost suddenly became a non-issue, I made the appointment and had it done.<br /><br />This wasn't a vanity thing. If you've seen me, you pretty well know that vanity doesn't much enter into stuff like this. The real reason for <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Lasik</span> was the activities I really enjoy, mountain biking and sailing. In both cases, there are always a pretty good chance of losing my glasses, or at least a lens. Without my specs, I couldn't ride a bike, so if I was 10 miles from the trailhead, its a 10 mile walk with a lot of stumbling along. Then, when I'd get back to the truck, I couldn't drive. In the sailboat, if the glasses went in the water, it was a pretty good bet I would not be able to find the landing, let alone the truck and trailer. <br /><br />So, into the surgery I went. The whole thing was pretty quick, not more than 20 minutes, and surprisingly painless. I came out being able to see well, but a bit fuzzy. Its now 2 days after and I am seeing 20/20 at distance, but close in definitely requires reading glasses, at 3 pairs for $20.<br /><br />I won't be doing any riding or sailing until next weekend. Looking forward to it though!Old Fat and Slowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407920445616132091noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3896965956123898369.post-40113474941009267252010-12-23T10:15:00.000-08:002010-12-23T10:32:45.692-08:00Total Awesomeness!Like most people not born on February 29th, I have a birthday every year. This year I had one very recently, and something came in the mail that made it one of the best, if not the best birthday ever. Before you watch the video, a little explanation is in order.<br /><br />My 2 year old Grand daughter, Naomi, is potty training, She is doing so well that she earned a coaster bike (future mtn biking partner for Boppa?!). Given that all is going well, Naomi's focus in life is, you guessed it, the toilet, and of course, potty humor is very high on her list. When my daughter, Sarah took her to the store to find a birthday card for Boppa, she naturally chose one that could not have been more appropriate.<br /><br /><br /><p><iframe allowFullScreen='true' webkitallowfullscreen='true' mozallowfullscreen='true' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwTg-54XU81gp06g10G4mFv8gzcPBPRlc9l_cjX4KCt9aRSJ4u9AorFuXjKVU0DbRmt1kJSUglbUSlH0BCudQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' FRAMEBORDER='0' /></p><p>Some credit goes to American Greetings, but the true master is Naomi.</p>Old Fat and Slowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407920445616132091noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3896965956123898369.post-35077875724753485872010-12-05T15:46:00.000-08:002010-12-05T15:56:49.252-08:00Sailing in AZI dropped the boat in Lake Pleasant this morning about 11:00am . Paddled out of the harbor and sat for about 30 minutes, just ghosting along without enough wind to fill the sales. Then, about 11:30, I could see some riffle on the surface off in the distance. It took about 10 minutes to reach me, but then picked up to about 5 mph. I got in about 2 hours of sailing with light but steady wind. Pretty much died by 2:00pm.<br /><br />The main thing I wanted to see was how well I fixed the leaks that were pretty bad 2 weeks ago, mainly around the centerboard trunk. It looks like I fixed about 95% of the leaks. In the time I sailed today, I don't think I took on more than 2 or 3 cups of water.<br /><br />Arizona is not a very good place to sail, not only because there isn't much water, but because I have a wood boat, and the extremely low humidity is hard on it. Out of the water, the wood shrinks and opens seams. In the water, the seams don't really want to close up. In the next few days, I will be carving the seams a bit, then pouring epoxy into them to close them up. <br /><br />As hobbies go, small boats aren't too costly, but the ongoing work can be a bit time consuming.Old Fat and Slowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407920445616132091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3896965956123898369.post-7931714572018182312010-08-27T15:26:00.001-07:002010-08-27T15:35:44.537-07:00America's Obesity EpidemicIt seems we continually hear about the obesity epidemic in America, and there is no apparent solution. Well, last weekend we were in Kansas, nevermind why, and I came across what has to be the cause of widespread obesity.<br /><br /><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510220945938499010" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ltTWDrLqn3E/THg8wYSUxcI/AAAAAAAAA2o/I0eS430QAX4/s400/ASGROW.jpg" />All this time, farmers have been fertilizing their fields with ASGROW!! No wonder we're all chubby!</p><p>So here's the solution; get the farmers to stop using ASGROW and start using something healthier. Do you suppose there's a product out there with a name like ASSHRINK?<br /></p>Old Fat and Slowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407920445616132091noreply@blogger.com0